Update on Government’s promise to provide grants to help small businesses 

Dear Members,

I have been in touch with colleagues at the Department of Business, Energy and Industry for and am now able to tell you that plans are underway to quickly release the £10,000 cash grant (increased from £3000 in yesterday’s announcement) promised to 700,000 of the UK’s smallest businesses.

The Business Secretary will be writing to all Local Authorities by the end of this week with information on the Small Business Grants Scheme, encouraging  them to prepare to deliver this quickly.
Detailed guidance for Local Authorities will follow by 1st April and Local Authorities will then write to all eligible businesses (those who receive Business Rates Relief and/or Rural Rates Relief) with information on how to claim.

Whilst I appreciate this is not as immediate as many of you would have hoped, this early access to the relevant information does hopefully go someway in helping you prepare for access to the grants.

I am also aware that these funds are not applicable to all of our members, however, these updates maybe helpful to other colleagues, friends or family and so please feel free to share anything which maybe of benefit.

The BFA is continuing to work tirelessly to lobby and meet with policy makers in Whitehall in what promises to be a prolonged period of intense hardship. Many critical decisions are being taken across our industry on a daily basis, so providing the information and support that you need to act fast is, and will remain, our overriding priority.

With this in mind, if you have a relationship with or contact details for your local MP, please share them with me so that I can add them to my lobbying activities.

Best regards,

Lucy

Lucy Reece-Raybould
BFA Chief Executive